16 Rules To Change the World

November 18, 2018

Here is something I wrote as a set of rules for myself. I thought it might be useful, if for nothing else, just to show you a new way of thinking. My recommendation is to print out a copy and post it somewhere prominent. You can find a PDF version on my website at www.EdRush.com/Bonus.

Most people aren’t keen on rules. That’s because most rules tell us what we can’t do.

But what if I showed you a list of rules that gave you more freedom, space, and creativity? What if I showed you a list of rules that could change the world?

That’s exactly what’s below.

Global Rules to Live By

1. The world is an abundant place. There is an abundance of energy, money, water, ideas, resources, innovation, and people. The moment someone starts saying we don’t have enough of “X”…or that we are running out of “Y” is the moment to say “thank you for sharing” and move on.

2. The world’s problems can NOT be solved by the world’s governments. They move too slowly and think slower, still. Solving big problems requires an entrepreneurial mind, a commitment to agility, and the willingness to risk. Of these three, governments possess none.

3. People should be compensated for the value they provide, not for the years they have worked.

4. Markets always catch up. You can bend, manipulate, coerce, and hide. Eventually the market will catch up. If you want to make a lot of money, innovate in a market that is manipulated and controlled by bureaucracy. Examples—mortgage shorts in 2008, Uber vs. taxi lobby, and any industry that has excessive regulation.

5. In 30 years, the world will be ruled by the countries that make the fastest decisions, not by the ones with the biggest guns. Example – North Korea has big guns, sketchy WiFi, and no one goes there on vacation.

6. Change in the free market creates opportunity. Opportunity (once capitalized on) creates wealth. If you live in a country where it is legally, religiously, or competitively impossible to go from broke to billionaire in a year, then move. Now.

7. In an entrepreneurial world, more people means more resources. Thus, population growth is a good thing. That’s because entrepreneurs create more than they consume. If you’re an entrepreneur, have babies.

8. Within 25 years, automation will have completely eliminated the following jobs:

Financial advisors (sorry, not sorry)

Real estate agents (6%, 5%, 4%…)

Drivers of any kind (limo, truckers, train conductors, etc… This list also includes Uber drivers, and the chain-smoking taxi driver)

Airline pilots (planes have been flown by computers for at least 20 years so nothing new here)

Dry cleaners (drop your shirt in a box, come back in 10 mins, done. BTW – create this and I might just fund you.)

Janitors (Think Roomba)

Window cleaners (Think Vertical Roomba)

Printers (I give this one 10 years. My bet is that the “every day” printer will close his shop and start driving for Uber, only to be replaced by another driverless Uber car 10 years later. Don’t be “every day.” Don’t.)

NOTE – If your job is on this list, it’s time to find a new career that isn’t going to be taken over by a computer. If your job is not on this list, but you steadily complain that your job is being commoditized and sent overseas, it’s also time to find a new career—a new attitude—or both.

Personal Rules to Live By

1. TIME is the most valuable asset on earth. You can take away my house, my car, my savings, my IRA, my investments, my boat, and my wallet. I can get them all back. But if you take away one minute of my time, it’s gone. Forever. So, I choose to be wise with my time and to honor other people’s time. It’s precious.

2. Money is neither good nor bad. Money is amoral. For an evil man, money is gained immorally and used for evil. For a good man, money is gained morally and used for good. I will choose to be a good man, earning money in a good way to use for good ends.

3. I choose not to ride anyone else’s roller coaster. Friends, bosses, spouses, colleagues, and clients will all go up and down. One minute happy; the next minute sad. One day hopeful; the next day hopeless. One week optimistic; the next week pessimistic. They have chosen to ride their own roller coaster…and often without any tangible reason why. It’s my choice to get on. So I choose not to. I don’t ride roller coasters.

4. I am, by rule, willing to say no to anyone at any time for any reason without a sentence being required after the word “no.” And not to be an ass. It’s because when I say “yes” to one thing I say “no” to something else. So, no, we’re not getting together so you can “pick my brain.”

5. I am not morally obligated to respond to every email or text message any more than I am required to respond to every billboard. This goes double if you just happened to guess my email address.

6. Failure is a GIFT. It is a precious indication that I have veered off target. I choose, then, to see failure as a sign pointing to a much-needed correction. For every 1 success, I have had 10 failures. Thank you, failure.

7. Criticism is also a GIFT. It means I am onto something. If a critical person reads a brilliant article, his critical brain will require him to find a spelling error. If a critical person reads drivel, he says nothing. Thank you, criticism.

8. If someone’s rule starts with “here’s why I can’t do this…” it’s a bogus, made-up rule that is worth tossing out the window at the first opportunity. If their rule starts with “that’s impossible because…” then it’s worth throwing out the window, backing up, and driving over it a few times…just to be sure.

I’d love to hear any rules you live by or how this list helped you (spelling errors notwithstanding).

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Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the author / webmaster and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense, the U.S. Government or the United States Marine Corps. Any images of Ed Rush in a flight suit were taken with a suit bought at the owner's expense. All images of military aircraft are either the owner's property, royalty free, or open domain.